Jennifer has been the District Chair for World Polio Day since 2012. Since then, she along with fellow Rotarians have been able to raise awareness to the public through many media outlets and by lightening up both the CN Tower and Toronto Sign at Toronto City Hall Red, Yellow and White on World Polio Day. Jennifer will be speaking about the push for the next 3 years and the efforts to eradication this disease from the world completely. She will explain why it is so important to continue to contribute and where the funds go. She will share her experience of participating in National Immunization Day and how important these days are to eradicating this disease. Along with highlighting the successes of World Polio Day 2017, she'll outline the goals for 2018.

We meet at Whistlers Restaurant located at 995 Broadview Ave, East York, ON M4K 2S1. Our luncheon starts at 12:30pm and we hope you can attend to hear Jennifer on Thursday, October 26, 2017.

Joanne Hutchinson is active volunteer in her east Toronto neighbourhood and in Zambia. Joanne has a long term commitment to sustainability and when on a visit to Africa in 2011 she saw the poverty and need in very poor western Zambia and started, Socio-Economic and Environmental Development Solutions (SEEDS). SEEDS is a registered Canadian charity which provides non GMO fruit and vegetable seeds to Zambia which supports a local tree and fruit tree nursery for agricultural training and rehabilitation. The fundraising and seed collecting program here in Canada provides an interesting model for sustaining a self help project in Africa.

Join us for lunch to find out more about the Toronto East Rotary Club. Every Thursday 12:30pm at Whistler's Grille & The McNeil Room 995 Broadview Avenue.

Todd Minerson, Director of Communication and Brand for UNICEF Canada will speak on the work of UNICEF. UNICEF is a partner with Rotary International in the delivery of the Polio vaccine in countries around the world. Todd has previously spoken at TERC in his former positions as Executive Director of the White Ribbon Campaign and as the Executive Director of Touchstone Youth Shelter.

Join us for lunch to find out more about the Toronto East Rotary Club. Every Thursday 12:30pm at Whistler's Grille & The McNeil Room 995 Broadview Avenue.

Founding Chair, Highway of Heroes Living Tribute www.hohtribute.ca. (Goal: to plant 117,000 trees on the Highway of Heroes, 401 CFB Trenton to Keele St., Toronto, to honour Canada’s fallen in war since WWI).

July 1, 2016 Mark was awarded Member, Order of Canada ‘For his contributions to promoting and developing horticulture education in Canada and for his ability to explain how Canadians can protect the environment.’

Stephanie Christensen is Executive Director of ShelterBox. ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis. Stephanie will update us on what her organization is currently doing.

This will be our final meeting at Whistler's Restaurant. Effective Thursday January 4, 2018, our meetings will be held at Megas Restaurant 402 Danforth Avenue (around the corner from Chester subway station).

Dr. Khaled Almilaji is a trained medical doctor who has been providing emergency medical services treating Syrian refugees and wounded rebel soldiers in the most difficult circumstances in Syria and Turkey since 2012. In 2013, the first case of Polio was detected in Syria, and Dr Almilaji was able to assemble 8500 volunteers to vaccinate 1.2 million children under the age of five in eigth days. The success of the first campaign led to working with the Gates Foundation to help fund a continued effort of polio vaccinations. In 2014, Dr. Almilaji along with a couple of Canadian doctors, formed the Canadian International Medical Relief Organization. This past June, in recognition of his work with this organization he was granted the Canadian Meritorious Medal for humanitarian work, presented by the Canadian Governor General, David Johnston. Dr. Almilaji is currently living in Toronto with his wife and new-born baby daughter studying at the University of Toronto for his masters in public health. He and his wife’s long term plan is to “learn everything we can before returning to rebuild the healthcare system in Syria”.

Mike Lawler will become officially a member and will give his introductory remarks. Also, fellow Rotarian Marion Chan gives us a refresher on how to play the card game euchre in advance of our Euchre Party on Friday, January 26th.

The beneficiaries of the Joe Runza Skate-A-Thon will be our guests and will speak about their work. Debbie Owen from the Michael Garron Hospital and Paula Arscott of the Lakeridge Health Cancer Centre.

At our next Toronto East Rotary Club luncheon, Rex Hagon will be our speaker. Rex has spent a lifetime working in the field of communications and coaching. He enjoyed a successful career in the Canadian Film and Television industry, and in 1985 he established Rex Hagon & Associates (RHA). Drawing upon his extensive performance training and experience, he developed RHA’s unique approach to Executive and Senior Management training in Effective Business Communications to meet a range of corporate issues. Rex prides himself in his ability to provide solutions to corporate communication issues. He has a unique ability to grasp and understand the business world, and with his successful coaching and facilitation skills, assist clients in realizing increased closing-ratios, successful product launches, improved media relations, constructive employees’ negotiations, and corporate team building.

Please join on Thursday February 1, 2018 at 12:30pm for lunch. We meet at Megas Restaurant, 402 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 1P3

Susan Puff has been the Executive Director of the Danforth BIA for the past 9 years. The Danforth BIA includes 400 businesses and covers Broadview from Fairview Blvd to Pretoria Ave, and Danforth from Broadview Ave to Hampton Ave. Susan will update us on the group's endeavors.